Protective device for electric utensils.



F. E. CARLSON."

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC UTENSILS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I3. I91?- -1,264,868. Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

' INVENTOk. fi'ederz'c/r 5 62219072:

1 Mid M ATTORNEY.

' UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIc r EEEnEmc E. GARLSON, on NEW BRITAIN, coimncricor.

Specification 01' Letters Patent.

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC UTENSILS. I

Pziitented Apr. 30, .1918.

I Application filed April 13, 1917. Serial to. 161,869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. CARL- soN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Britain, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Protective Devices for Electric Utensils, of

which the following is a specification.

1 The object of this invention is to provide a novel :means for breaking the circuit in case the utensil becomes overheated.

In the drawings,--

Figure v1 is a sideview of the protective device.

Fig. 2 is an end view.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the device after I it has operated to break the circuit.

The utility of protective devices in electrically heated utensils to prevent the destruction of the utensil or the heateris well known to manufacturers and users of such goods. By my invention a very simple de- Vice is provided capable of being most easily placed in position, effective in its operation and extremely inexpensive to manufacture. The device made in accordance with my invention consists'of a sheet metal clip, in-

dicated generally at a, bent midway between its ends to formthe spring loop I}, from which project the spring'fingers c, c'. The spring fingers are drawn together against the action of the spring loop bby a fusible rivet d or the like, this binding of the fingers together giving them the spring action which permits them to spread when they are forced 'over the adjacent ends of the circuit members 5, 6, insuring a perfect contact. If the utensil becomes overheated, the

fusible rivet will be melted, and then the;

spring loop 72 becomes efi'ective'to spread. the spring fingers apart, and the device will drop out of positionand s0 break the cir- In'addition to the simplicity andecono ny of manufacturing this device, and the simplicity of the method of attachment, a

minimum of fusible material is used. Thus there is no considerable quantity of this fusible material which when melted would be apt to run down onto other parts of the utensil. v

It will be further observed that the device as here illustrated and described provides two separate spring actions, the s ring of the fingers for gripping the ends 0 the circuit members is quite independent of the spring. of the loop tending to spread the fingers apart. Normally the spring action of the loop is not affected, butv it is of important consideration for the purpose of brealn'n'g the contact whenever a utensil becomes over-' grally with said how, an fusible means to dr aw said fingers together and hold said bow under-tension.

2. The combination with a'pair of spaced terminals of a connector adapted to engage and complete the circuit between said terminals, said connector comprising a spring a bow, a pair of cooperating diverging fingers lformed integrally with said bow and provided with bifurcated ends, and a fusible memberdrawing said fingers together and holding said bow under tension.

FREDERICK E. OARLSON. 

